Buried amongst the rolling hills of the Eastern Cape,Madiba,Nelson Mandela finally is resting in that final long sleep.

Quno Village where  Nelson Mandela grew up amongst the rolling hills of the  Eastern Cape,South Africa.He was not buried in the public cemetery with other members of his family but in a private space,closer to his house.

While the rest of the world moves on with business plans,marketing goals,Christmas, family,some are dealing with immediate survival needs,others are strategizing to maximize to make more money in the New Year,a great transition has happened.

Not every generation,has the opportunity to live,to be part of,to learn from,these giant of humans who grace our planet with such deep human understanding.

Such opportunities are rare,especially in the face of the fast paced business,money machine that is the US economy.It’s hard to take personal time,to notice,read about,understand, learn from and act from that deeper human place.

However such a time exists,now,the present,which gives each person who chooses to step of the merry go round of work and business,to a place in themselves where they  can ask:What is  my legacy,what can I,have I,want to,offer to others,to self.

Who would have written the script,that one of humanities greatest icons,would be from a small village in the Eastern Cape, South Africa,from the continent of Africa.

This beautiful piece of black African sculpture,by a local South African artist,stands outside the Constitutional Court.Its meaning is that as humans,we all help each other  as we  journey through this life.A very appropriate message and visual image for the legacy of Nelson Mandela.

We can have,make,hoard,invest,all the  money in the world,however we will,as Alexandra the Great did,depart this world with our hands open and empty,to show that he/we  took nothing,will take nothing with us.

Human Kindness, generosity of spirit,that Love and respect of the other,those values  are true human currency.

Thank you Nelson Mandela,for your compassion,love,humanness,tolerance,respect,and dignity.

Of all those  who have laid down for the  long sleep,of all those who have worked so  hard,you Madiba, above all,deserve to rest in peace.

Nkosi( Thank You in Xhosa)

Stephen Abelsohn custom designs Africa Safaris and South Africa Tours. He has a personal interest in rural cultural/scenery/art/craft tours within the Eastern Cape and Venda. He has for many years  been designing tours that include the village where Nelson Mandela  was laid to rest.

Stephen  Abelsohn  541 482 6050 Ashland, OR  stephen@go2southafrica.com  www.southafricaluxurytravel.com